Air flotation table conveyor

ABSTRACT

A conveyor for floating an article by air under pressure to provide for ease of movement. An enclosure is provided with a plurality of valves in the upper surface for engagement by the article to release air under pressure from the enclosure to substantially float the article on a layer of air. The enclosure is filled with a rigid open cell porous material to provide structural strength and rigidity for the hollow structure.

'llnited States Patent Kornylak [451 Mar. 28, 1972 [54] AIR FLOTATION TABLE CONVEYOR [72] Inventor: Andrew T. Kornylak, 400 l-leaton Street,

Hamilton, Ohio 45011 [22] Filed: July 16,1970 [21] Appl.No.: 55,404

[52] US. Cl. ..214/l BE, 302/29 511 lm. Cl ..B65g 7/06 [58] Field of Search ..214/1 AB, 1; 302/29; 104/158; 180/125; 193/25 R, 25 B, 25 S [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,430,780 3/1969 Rogers ..2l4/l AB 3,232,366 2/1966 vCockerell ..2l4/1 AB X 3,415,478 12/1968 Williams 214/1 AB X 3,209,929 10/1965 Petersen et a1. ..2l4/1 AB X 3,073,651 1/1963 Leimegger ..302/29 Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-Frank E. Werner Attorney-Jay M. Cantor [57] ABSTRACT A conveyor for floating an article by air under pressure to provide for ease of movement. An enclosure is provided with a plurality of valves in the upper surface for engagement by the article to release air under pressure from the enclosure to substantially float the article on a layer of air. The enclosure is filled with a rigid open cell porous material to provide structural strength and rigidity for the hollow structure.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEBMAR28|912 3.651.956

INVENTOR. ANDREW 7.' KOR/VYLAK AGE/VT AIR FLOTATION TABLE CONVEYOR This invention relates to a conveyor and more particularly to an air flotation table conveyor in which air under pressure is admitted under an article to be conveyed.

A conveyor of this nature is disclosed in the US. Pat. to Lamb No. 2,3 l5,627 and comprises a chamber connected to a source of air pressure. The air is allowed to escape under the article being conveyed to aid in easing the movement of the article in traversing the table. In order to efiiciently support the load it is essential that the table have sufficient structural strength and rigidity to maintain its shape and to prevent the excessive loss of air. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a table as aforesaid which is light and has high structural strength.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a table as aforesaid which is rigid.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a table as aforesaid which is cheap to construct and presents a minimum of maintenance problems.

These and other. objects of the invention will become manifest upon reading the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a section of the table.

FIG. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

In accordance with the invention an airtight enclosure is filled with a porous open cell core and is connected to a source of fluid pressure. A plurality of valves are fitted in the top surface of the chamber and are adapted to be opened by the weight of the article being conveyed to allow the air to escape and form a pressured layer to support the article.

With reference to the drawing there is illustrated an enclosure E having a top wall 2 and a bottom wall 4 connected by a peripheral wall 8. The top wall is formed with a plurality of ports distributed throughout the extent of the wall. Each port has a valve V press fitted therein for engagement by an article A mounted thereon.

Each valve comprises a casing 12 having an intumed ledge 14 at the bottom and an inturned lip 16 at the top. A ball 18 is loosely mounted in the casing and is urged into contact with the lip by a spring 20 to form a valve closure.

The interior of the closure is filled by a rigid porous material such as urethane foam. This material is sufficiently rigid to reenforce the hollow closure to obtain strength and rigidity without the use of metal reenforcements or bracing and still permit the use of thin plates for the device. The open cell structure allows the air to permeate the chamber and flow toward the valves.

In operation a selected number of enclosures are supported on structural members such as indicated at S to form a conveyor of desired dimensions. The articles being conveyed press on the balls 18 to permit the escape of the pressurized fluid such as air. The pressure of the fluid between the bottom of the article and top of the enclosure forms a pressurized zone for supporting the article on a layer of air thus providing ease of movement for the article.

I claim:

1. An air flotation table along which an article is movable comprising, a relatively thin-walled fluid-tight enclosure having top, side and bottom walls, means for structurally reenforcing and rigidifying said enclosure comprising, a rigid porous open cell material and substantially filling the enclosure between its walls, means for admitting fluid under pressure into the enclosure, and valve means extending through the top wall for engagement with the article for exhausting fluid permeating the material from the said enclosure.

2. A table as defined in claim 1 wherein the valve means comprises a plurality of ports distributed throughout the top surface and a valve in each port.

3. A table as defined in claim 1 wherein the porous material comprises a rigid urethane foam. 

1. An air flotation table along which an article is movable comprising, a relatively thin-walled fluid-tight enclosure having top, side and bottom walls, means for structurally reenforcing and rigidifying said enclosure comprising, a rigid porous open cell material and substantially filling the enclosure between its walls, means for admitting fluid under pressure into the enclosure, and valve means extending through the top wall for engagement with the article for exhausting fluid permeating the material from the said enclosure.
 2. A table as defined in claim 1 wherein the valve means comprises a plurality of ports distributed throughout the top surface and a valve in each port.
 3. A table as defined in claim 1 wherein the porous material comprises a rigid urethane foam. 